This policy paper outlines various factors influencing the success of e-voting solutions worldwide.
Introducing Electronic Voting: Essential Considerations, 2011 (ENG)
Lead author: Peter Wolf
Supporting authors: Rushdi Nackerdien, Domenico Tuccinardi
Feedback and peer reviews received from: Fabio Bargiacchi, Jordi Barrat i Esteve, Ingo Boltz, Susanne Caarls, Andrew Ellis, Manuel Kripp, Betilde Muñoz-Pogossian and technical experts of the Organization of American States, as well as the Brazilian Superior Elections Tribunal.
Electronic voting is often seen as a tool to make the electoral process more efficient and to increase the trust in its management. Properly implemented, e-voting solutions can increase the security of the ballot, speed up the processing of results and make voting easier. However, despite its benefits e-voting is not without its limitations. If not carefully planned and designed, e-voting can undermine the confidence in the whole electoral process. This policy paper outlines contextual factors that can influence the success of e-voting solutions and highlights the importance of taking these fully into account before choosing to introduce new voting technologies.